Italy is by far my favorite country in Europe to visit. I feel like I’ve been there at least 10 times, but the reality is, I’ve only been there three times so far. In 2019, I visited Sicily, based in Palermo, and from there I took some day trips to different spots on the island. Whether it was boat rides in Mondello or eating pasta in the historical center of Cefalù, I enjoyed Sicily a lot and would definitely go again. An unpaid recommendation is the Hotel in Palermo where I stayed: Hotel Bel 3. The hotel is located up the hill outside of the city with a stunning view of Palermo and the sea in the background. I have great memories of that place.
The second time I visited Italy was in 2020 with Dennis. First, we went to Rome, and wow, what a feeling I had in this beautiful city! It’s my very favorite city in Europe so far. Of course, the city has great places to visit, like the Colosseum, the Palatine Hill, the Trevi Fountain, the Vatican City with St. Peter’s Basilica, the Spanish Steps, and the Trastevere district, but the best feeling I had was on our way home late one night on Via dei Serpenti, where two guys were giving a street concert. Around 30 people were sitting in front of them with their bottles of red wine, listening to the beautiful music and enjoying the atmosphere with the illuminated old buildings in the background. What a romantic moment Dennis and I had there!
From Rome, we went to Naples, where we stayed in an amazing Airbnb with an old and super kind lady, an overweight dog who struggled to jump on the sofa, and an amazing balcony with a view of Naples city and the Gulf of Naples. With Naples as our base, we explored the city, visited Pompeii, climbed Mount Vesuvius – at least the last 200 meters after the bus brought us almost to the summit – and went on a day trip to Amalfi and Positano. It was great to see the beautiful landscape and architecture, but since it’s a famous location for influencers and wealthy people, everything there is way too expensive.
Now we come to my previous trip to Italy last April. It took me a long time to decide to go because I didn’t want to spend a lot of money but still wanted to travel. Then I saw a great opportunity to combine different things I wanted to do: visit Milan, watch a match at San Siro, and discover Bergamo.
For some reason, I had high expectations about Milan, where I arrived on a Thursday noon. As I only had the rest of the day to explore the city, I rushed to do the obligatory sightseeing. In the pictures below, you’ll find the most interesting parts of the city for me: the millions of pigeons with the Milan Cathedral in the background, and an outstanding but expensive Aperol Spritz with a view of the Cathedral. Joking aside, the Milan Cathedral is an impressive building.
Other locations I enjoyed were the Arco della Pace and the surrounding area, as well as Corso Garibaldi with the Gucci and Emporio Armani walls. I stayed on this street as well. Rosibel hosted me in her Airbnb, and I would also recommend it; it’s a great location, a perfect room for an affordable price, and Rosibel herself is a kind person. Despite my high expectations in Milan, I was left a bit disappointed. Nevertheless, I was able to explore a world-renowned city.
After the disappointing sightseeing in Milan, I was super excited for my plans in the evening. I grew up with football clubs from Milan attending and winning finals of the Champions League, which means their stadium, San Siro, is directly connected with my youth. It was always a symbol for great evenings of football. Once in my life, I wanted to experience a live match there, especially the anthem of AC Milan. In this season, in the quarter-finals of the Europa League, AC Milan faced AS Roma, a very traditional match in Italy – I expected an even better atmosphere than in any other “normal” match. The stadium itself is impressive, and then, 15 minutes until the referee whistles to kick-off, it starts:
“Che confusione, Sarà perché ti amo
È un’emozione, Che cresce piano piano
Stringimi forte e stammi più vicino, Se ci sto bene
Sarà perché ti amo, Io canto al ritmo del dolce tuo respiro
È primavera, Sarà perché ti amo
Cade una stella, Ma dimmi dove siamo
Che te ne frega, Sarà perché ti amo
E vola vola si sa, Sempre più in alto si va
E vola vola con me, Il mondo è matto perché
E se l’amore non c’è, Basta una sola canzone
Per far confusione, Fuori e dentro di te
E vola vola si va”
What a moment, such a great feeling when the whole crowd is singing this beautiful song. I had goosebumps all over my body, listening and singing along, and realizing how passionate these fans are for their team! Just for this experience, the trip was worth it; even the boring match afterward is not worth mentioning.
On Friday morning, I took the train to Bergamo. I intentionally booked my return flight from Bergamo to have the opportunity to explore this city as well. Due to a tragic reason – the Covid disaster in Bergamo – I became aware of what a beautiful city Bergamo is. It was all over the news, and despite the reports focusing on the deaths of thousands of people, the city itself caught my attention, and I decided that I wanted to visit these places.
When I arrived at the central station of Bergamo, I walked directly up the hill to the historical center: La Città Alta! Unlike Milan, I did not have the highest expectations but was pleasantly surprised by Bergamo in the most positive way. The small alleys with cute restaurants and shops were amazing to stroll around, have an espresso, and simply enjoy the city’s atmosphere.
Later on, I decided to walk up to the Torre Castello San Vigilio, which was a great idea. There are some more cute restaurants and shops, the impressive castle, and most importantly: the amazing view of La Città Alta and the beautiful Lombardy. Below, you can get an idea of how beautiful the landscape is, but also about a big problem in Italy: due to mismanagement, corruption, and mafia involvement, Italy has a notorious garbage problem, which is present all over the country.
In the evening, I had my dinner at the pizzeria where Julia Roberts once ate. From my perspective, it’s not recommended.
All in all, I would say it’s worth spending more time in Bergamo than in Milan if you are considering visiting this part of Italy. For football fans, it’s a great experience to watch a match at San Siro. Expect a great atmosphere and maybe a boring match. Ciao!